Plans for caravan park upgrade at Jordanstown Loughshore Park to be dropped
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has dropped plans for an upgrade of the caravan park at Jordanstown Loughshore Park.
Councillors have agreed to a preferred option of carrying out works to the ground floor of the existing coffee shop along with additional car parking and upgrade of the toilets and changing facilities, following a review of costs for the proposed on-site development project.
It was also agreed behind closed doors at a recent meeting of the council’s Community Development Committee to progress the Jordanstown Loughshore Park capital project to the second stage of the council’s capital programme to include detailed design and planning.
A committee report indicated, initially, a full refurbishment of the caravan park and existing café to include the creation of a first floor restaurant were included in development plans.
However, in May 2024, councillors were advised, based on “inflationary cost increases, affordability and prioritisation”, a review of capital project business cases, including the outline business case for Jordanstown Loughshore Park, was to be carried out.
In January of this year, members were told in an update the recommendation was to proceed with the refurbishment of the café, caravan park amenities and public toilets.
However, the strategic investment board, which had been commissioned to review capital project business cases, having completed a review for the proposed development of Jordanstown Loughshore Park, outlined a preferred option of carrying out works to the ground floor of the existing coffee shop along with additional car parking and the upgrade of the toilets and changing facilities.
Currently, at Jordanstown Loughshore Park, there are 115 car parking spaces, a play park, coffee shop/cafe and a caravan park with 14 touring and four tent pitches which open year-round.
It was proposed byThreemilewater Ulster Unionist Councillor Stephen Cosgrove and seconded by deputy mayor Threemilewater Alliance Cllr Julie Gilmour to accept the recommendations for the preferred option and to progress the project to the second stage of the capital programme and approved by members.
Separately, at the same meeting, councillors also agreed to the outline business case for the preferred option for the development of Hazelbank Park, in Newtownabbey and to progress of the development project to stage two of the capital programme following a proposal by Macedon DUP Cllr Matthew Brady and seconded by Cllr Cosgrove.
The council-owned facility includes a car park with 89 spaces, a play park, public toilets, the Coronation Garden and a sensory garden.
Initially, a proposed upgrade was to include redevelopment of the former bowling pavilion to provide a cafe, additional car parking, refurbished play park and toilets, including a ‘Changing Places’ unit and provision of staff welfare facilities.
The Coronation Garden was completed in May 2023 to mark the coronation of King Charles III. The garden was located at the old bowling green.
Members were advised that following the capital programme review, the recommendation for Hazelbank Park was to proceed with the refurbishment of the bowling pavilion as a café, the toilet block, play area and additional car parking, increasing to 193 spaces, with the proposed staff compound and welfare facilities to be dropped. All costs were undisclosed.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter